Back to basics

Car phones. Remember those? Back in the day I spent much of my time in the car, back and forth supporting customers. The arrival of the telephone in the vehicle was good for business. Today we’re seeing mobile as one of the mainstays, an essential ‘accessory.’ We all have our opinions of the ‘pro’s andContinue reading “Back to basics”

The apprentice

‘Tough’ is not a trait some of us are born with. Working for yourself, one of the advantages of joining the solopreneur society is we soon harden up when honing our instincts.  The business landscape? It’s tough out there. You know it, we’ve about survived the worst of a pandemic by drawing on our own resilience and thatContinue reading “The apprentice”

Life’s a playground

I was visiting friends recently when the conversation turned to the fact that Sarah, (aged 8,) wasn’t enjoying school so much. Sarah had only recently moved to her next ‘big’ school after living with mum and dad in a rural community.   Sarah declares, ‘It’s not the same. My friends are all different and we don’tContinue reading “Life’s a playground”

Only people can

Does anyone care to imagine how the new business ‘entrepreneur’ grew the businesses prior to the advent of the internet? Before digital? Give me just a minute … With the consolidation of in-person networking during the mid 80’s ‘word of mouth’ established itself as the preferred tactic of obtaining new business introductions. People recognised theContinue reading “Only people can”

Gone fishing …

“You may call it networking Charlie, I call it fishing.” My wife was highlighting how much time I spent networking (6-8 hours per week.) Sue compared it to being a ‘golf widow’ or ‘fisherman’s wife.’ She had a point. I do enjoy the opportunity of meeting up with my regular group. We share so much, there’sContinue reading “Gone fishing …”

What’s your excuse?

Hi Charlie. “Sorry, I’ve had a call from a client who needs to see me tomorrow morning, so I can’t make the meeting.” For as long as I’ve been networking, this is the ‘stand out’ explanation I’m offered when someone calls to opt-out. They’re faced with choosing to replace one appointment with another. They choose toContinue reading “What’s your excuse?”

Engaging

‘How many will be there, Charlie?’ Mari asked. ‘A good mix of men and women no doubt,’ I replied. ‘Oh great, I much prefer lots of people, it makes for better value. ‘I’ll see if I can make it.’ Came the reply. Contrary to the claims of the paid-for member-driven organisations … networking is not about how manyContinue reading “Engaging”